Building Belonging through Dialogue
On July 3, 2025, MJLC participated in a high-level roundtable at Luxembourg's historic Abbey Neumünster, co-hosted by KAICIID's Network for Dialogue, Formation et Sensibilisation de Luxembourg (FSL), and the Ana Lindh Foundation. The event, titled "The Role of Religious Institutions in Belonging and Civic Engagement in Europe," brought together faith leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors to discuss how religious communities can foster inclusion and shared citizenship. Esma Uçan, co-founder and Chair of the Muslim Council of Belgium and regular collaborator with the MJLC, shared how her community built their institution out of necessity, to reflect the diverse realities of Muslim life in Belgium.
"I spoke about the vital role religious institutions can play in fostering active citizenship and a sense of belonging in Europe. I shared my experience as co-founder and Chair of the Muslim Council of Belgium, and how we created this institution out of necessity to reflect the diverse realities of Muslim communities in Belgium." Esma Uçan
She emphasized the urgency of moving beyond symbolic interfaith gestures and embedding dialogue structurally in decision-making processes, with particular attention to gender inclusion.
"I emphasized the importance of moving beyond symbolic interfaith dialogue and embedding it structurally in decision-making spaces. I also spoke about the urgent need to include women of faith more fully in religious and civic leadership." Esma Uçan
She concluded by underlining how lived experiences, rather than legal status alone, define citizenship. Rabbi Michael Schudrich offered a complementary reflection, insisting on the need for rabbis and imams to work together regardless of external conflicts:
"In spite of the tensions in the Middle East that are real and important, we have an obligation for our children and grandchildren for Rabbis and imams to keep working together here in Europe. It is not always easy but it is fundamentally necessary." Rabbi Michael Schudrich
The Luxembourg roundtable reaffirmed MJLC's mission to advance structural inclusion and mutual responsibility as pillars of European democracy.